Road bike specialist Cervelo presents its first mountain bike: Cerevelo ZHT-5 on test

Uncompromisingly trimmed for propulsion and ready for the racetrack ex works - with this in mind, the company produces Cervelo some of the fastest road bikes in the world. In 2019, the Canadians left paved roads for the first time and celebrated with the Gravelbike Aspero made its off-road debut. The gravel racer, traditionally trimmed for propulsion, was so well received that Cervelo has been pushing further and further into the off-road sector for bicycles ever since. So much so that the brand will be tackling the Cross Country World Cup in the 2023 season with the new ZHT-5 race hardtail and professional team.

>> UPDATE: Here you can find our test report on the Cervelo ZHT-5 <<

Cervelo ZHT-5: a race hardtail without compromise

Cervelo's first mountain bike is called the ZHT-5. Anyone familiar with the model hierarchy will know that only the absolute high-end models have the number 5 at the end of the model designation. But does the MTB newcomer live up to this premium claim? With ease. With a frame weight of 810 grams in size M (manufacturer's specification), the frame of the Cervelo ZHT-5 is one of the lightest on the market. For comparison: We also measured the super-light T1 frame from Stoll in size M at 829 grams. We will soon be testing in the BIKE test lab whether the new bike can really take the top spot in the lightweight construction rankings, as claimed by the manufacturer.

Milan Vader on the Cervelo bike in the Cross Country World Cup

In order to quickly popularise the Cervelo ZHT-5 in the mountain bike sector, the Canadian company's marketing department is relying on the track record and ambitions of Dutch cross-country hopeful Milan Vader. In the colours of the Jumbo-Visma team, the 25-year-old is set to ride the Cervelo brand to the top of the mountain bike world in 2023. The big goal: the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The geometry of the Cervelo hardtail: efficient, fast and even a bit of fun

The frame design was customised by the developers in collaboration with Milan Vader Cross Country racers. With short chainstays (430 millimetres) and a 69-degree steering angle, the ZHT-5 identifies with the more agile type of race mountain bike. While more extreme models, such as the new Cannondale Scalpel HTWhile the Cervelo hardtail is a convincing choice for downhill riding with its enormous smoothness, it feels more at home on winding trails. In terms of frame size, models from S to XL are available.

The Cervelo ZHT-5 in detail

In addition to the outstanding frame weight, the carbon hardtail also stands out with clever detail solutions. All cables are neatly integrated from the control centre through the headset into the frame. The tyre clearance of 2.4 inches is also generous.

Cervelo ZHT-5: Models, equipment and availability

The first two model variants of the Cervelo hardtail will come onto the market from mid-October. On the 5299 euro ZHT-5 GX AXS Eagle, the product managers install a Rockshox SID-SL fork from the Select+ series in addition to the electronic Sram GX drivetrain. The entry-level version shares the high-end frame with the high-end model costing 9999 euros. In keeping with the model designation ZHT-5 XX1 AXS, Sram's finest electric drivetrain is used here. In order to fully utilise the proud budget, the super-light SID-SL Ultimate works under the head tube, and the thru axles are fitted with high-quality carbon spare wheels from Santa Cruz. Further complete bike models of the Cervelo hardtail are set to follow in spring 2023.

First ride impression of the Cervelo ZHT-5

Last spring, BIKE had the opportunity to gather initial riding impressions on a prototype. Our conclusion: The Cervelo ZHT-5 only knows one throttle when going uphill and on the flat. Full throttle! The combination of a long stem, low front end and steep seat angle places the rider on the bike with a good amount of stretch and propulsion. Only well-trained frequent riders can cope with such a sporty riding position. Despite its low weight, the frame feels very stiff and converts every watt of pedalling power into propulsion without loss. However, comfort or downhill reserves are sought in vain on the carbon file. Without a dropper seatpost and with the rather steep steering angle, the bike reaches its limits early on in steep terrain or at high speeds. However, it feels all the more comfortable on winding trails. Here, the bike can be steered very directly and playfully.

Test Cervelo ZHT-5

After our first short test laps with the Cervelo ZHT-5, we have now been able to test the race hardtail extensively and with our usual thoroughness. We finally had to find out whether Cervelo can bring its expertise from the road to the off-road and whether the road bike specialist has succeeded in making its debut in the mountain bike world.

In triathlon and road racing, the bikes from the Canadian luxury forge are among the fastest in the world. Their reputation: fully trimmed for propulsion and ready for the race track ex works. Now the road bike specialists are expanding their portfolio to include a mountain bike for the first time. Behind this step is the most successful cycling team in the Netherlands. Jumbo Visma is an integral part of the UCI World Tour and is well known to fans of major road races such as the Tour de France.

When some team riders expressed the desire to ride cross-country races, Jumbo Visma quickly founded a Mountain Bike World Cup team for 2023 and developed the appropriate sports equipment together with Cervelo. Logically, this is a high-end racing hardtail. In the coming season, multiple XCO World Cup winner Milan Vader will be among those competing on the Cervelo ZHT-5. All in all, the expectations for the debut model are high - also due to the impressive price tag of 10,000 euros.

Visually, the ZHT-5 is reminiscent of its racing bike siblings. Blue glitter flakes shimmer in the chic paintwork. A flattened seat tube makes room for wide 2.4 mm tyres. Only the inexpensive aluminium stem detracts from the elegant appearance. Mechanics will be pleased with the threaded BSA standard on the bottom bracket, which does not require a press-out tool to change - anything but a matter of course on current race bikes. Completely naked, without thru-axle and seat clamp, the 981 gram carbon frame in size L cracks the magic one-kilo mark, but compared to the rest of the cross-country spearhead, this does not trigger cries of joy from weight fetishists. With thru-axle, derailleur hanger and seat clamp (BIKE measurement), the frame comes in at 1074 grams. With the help of the luxury equipment, the total weight without pedals remains under nine kilos.

The Cervelo ZHT-5 is more casual and compact than sporty and long. The steep seat angle ensures an efficient pedalling position. Despite the fat tyres, the Cervelo accelerates very well. Crank revolutions are quickly converted into speed on the wide carbon wheels. According to laboratory values, the frame stiffness is good, but not at the top level. In practice, the stiffness of the frame is less noticeable than that of the seatpost. With a diameter of 30.9 millimetres, it offers noticeably less compliance than models with a diameter of 27.2 millimetres.

Although the wide tyres compensate somewhat for the lack of flex, we still missed a bit of comfort on long distances, such as marathon rides. On the other hand, the wide seat tube makes it possible to retrofit a wide range of dropper posts. Despite the short chainstays, the steep 69.4 degree head angle allows you to build up a lot of pressure on the front wheel even on steep sections. As a result, the front of the ZHT-5 only rises pleasantly late. The fork is easily locked for pedalling out of the saddle using the handlebar remote. With a 32 t crankset and a wide-ratio cassette, every biker will find a suitable climbing gear. However, ambitious racers will want a larger chainring on this Cervelo race hardtail for descents and speed on flat terrain. Sram's electronic XX1 AXS drivetrain changes gears cleanly and swiftly via radio signal.

Ride feel of the Cervelo Race hardtail: from easy to hard as a board

On the downhill, Cervelo's first mountain bike demonstrates balanced and uncomplicated handling. Thanks to the combination of long reach, compact rear end and steep steering angle, the ZHT-5 steers directly and can be easily manoeuvred through tight corners. The Rockshox SID fork works its way reliably and sensitively through root fields.

On rough descents, however, the bike shows its stiff side again: the 35-millimetre carbon handlebars from Race Face hardly filter out any fine impacts from the trail, but pass them on directly to the rider. Here too, the wide Maxxis tyres cannot fully compensate for this. This effect is further exacerbated by the very thin grips. Riders with large hands in particular should look for a replacement to prevent premature arm fatigue. Although the profile of the Maxxis Recon Race tyres is designed for fast rolling rather than maximum grip, in a tubeless setup and with low air pressure they still generate a lot of grip thanks to their width. The Sram-Level brakes with small 160 mm discs at the front and rear are somewhat toothless. Heavy riders in particular have to compensate for the lack of power by braking early to avoid overshooting the target.

Technical data and grades of the Cervelo ZHT-5

Manufacturer information

• Price: 9999 Euro
• available from specialised dealers
• Material / Size Carbon / S / M / L / XL (48.5 cm, tested size)
• Wheel size: 29 inch
• Colours: Five Black (black with glitter in rainbow colours) / Moss Khaki

Measured values

• Weight without pedals: 8.97 kg
• Frame weight: 1074 g
• Weight of wheels: 3897 g
• Acceleration of running wheels: 3074 kg x cm²
• Handlebar width: 740 mm
• Frame rigidity (absolute): 44 N/mm

Equipment

• Suspension travel: 105 mm
• Reserve 28 XC wheels
• Tyres: Maxxis Recon Race Exo Prot. 29 x 2.40
• Fork: Rockshox SID Ultimate
• Brakes: Sram Level Ultimate 160/160 mm
• Gear system: Sram XX1 Eagle AXS 1 x 12
• Gear ratio / bandwidth: 32; 10-52 / 520 %
• Post:: Cervelo Carbon 30.9 mm

Valuation

• Driving behaviour uphill: 31.5 from 35
• Front suspension: 13.5 out of 15
• Rolling resistance: 11.25 out of 15
• Weight: 22.5 from 25
• Inertia impellers :10.5 out of 15
• Bottle cage: 10 out of 10
• Seating comfort: 4 out of 10
  
• Driving behaviour downhill: 27 from 30
• Front suspension: 18 out of 20
• Saddle retractability: 7 out of 10
• Brakes: 6.5 out of 10
• Tyre grip: 13.5 out of 15
• Driving stability: 5 out of 10
  
• Total uphill: 103.3 out of 125
• Total downhill: 77 out of 95
  
• Other: 23.5 out of 30
• Ease of maintenance: medium

BIKE test rating: very good - 203.8 out of 250 points

¹ The BIKE judgement reflects the laboratory measurements and the subjective impression of the test riders. The BIKE judgement is independent of price.

BIKE judgements: super (250-205 P.), very good (204.75-170 P.), good (169.75-140 P.), satisfactory (139.75-100 P.), with weaknesses, unsatisfactory. ²Price may be subject to additional costs for packaging, shipping and coordination.